Oral care products by which various oral care actives can be delivered to the hard surface of the teeth have been previously known. Examples of such oral care products include: brushing aids such as dentifrice products for delivery of anti-caries actives like fluoride; and mouthwashes containing breath fresheners or antibacterial actives. It is well known that oral care products can provide both therapeutic and cosmetic benefits to consumers. However, such conventional oral care products typically do not maintain actives in the oral cavity long enough to optimally enhance or prolong the therapeutic, prophylactic and/or cosmetic benefits provided by the actives.
Polybutene is recognized as a component of denture adhesives and as a gum base. U.S. Pat. No. 5,880,172, issued Mar. 3, 1999, to Rajaiah, et al., discloses a self-supporting denture adhesive that is peelable for easy removal, which incorporates polybutene as an optional ingredient. U.S. Pat. No. 5,496,541, issued Mar. 5, 1996, to Cutler, relates to a dentifrice chewing gum and teaches the use of polybutene as an optional gum base. Such known applications often employ higher molecular weight polybutene in order to achieve the desired result.
In the present invention lower molecular weight polybutene is incorporated in oral care kits and compositions to provide a protective coating on the teeth. Good, uniform coating of the teeth is achieved because the lower molecular weight polybutene is a flowable liquid. The use of lower molecular weight polybutene in the polybutene-containing component of the oral care kits and compositions provides sufficient substantivity to provide sustained release of an oral care active, without causing unwanted coating or buildup on the oral mucosa.
The present invention provides oral care kits and compositions that effectively coat and protect the teeth from buildup of plaque and other debris, thereby inhibiting or preventing gingivitis, caries and staining of the teeth. This coating also provides a slick, smooth feel to the hard surfaces of the oral cavity which consumers view as an indicator of clean teeth. The present invention can also be used to deliver an oral care active to the teeth and oral cavity through incorporation of said active within the polybutene-containing component.